France v Croatia – World Cup Final Betting, Tips & Preview

Les Bleus have the tools to blunt first-time finalists Croatia

France v Croatia – There’s no doubt France will have enjoyed seeing Croatia prevail only after a third gruelling extra-time effort in three knockout games after their own strangely bloodless victory over Belgium a day earlier.

With the extra recovery time, lesser exertion and the superior squad, France are clear favourites now. Unlike England, they possess the midfield tools to nullify Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic, and are superior everywhere else.

England dominated the first half against Croatia when Raheem Sterling’s pace was a constant threat to Croatia’s defence. The Croatians are solid at the back, but have no pace. Kylian Mbappe could give them nightmares.

The England-Croatia semi-final changed in the second half once Modric and Rakitic were able to take full control. England spent the last 75 minutes of the game chasing shadows and Croatia were deserved victors in the end.

But France possess the exact tools to hurt Croatia the way England did in the opening 45 minutes, while also being able to at the very least go toe-to-toe in midfield with N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba up against the brilliant Croatian engine room.

France really ought to have more than enough to do this in 90 minutes at 19/20, and the 9/2 on offer for another 1-0 win for Les Bleus looks perfectly reasonable.

Croatia will be hoping to cause an upset in their first ever World Cup Final appearance[/caption]

World Cup finals have tended to be cagey affairs in recent tournaments. Until 1990, no team had failed to score in a World Cup final. In the last seven finals there have been seven clean sheets. Only once – the 1-1 draw between France and Italy in 2006 – have both teams got on the scoresheet.

The last two finals have been won 1-0 by the clearly superior side, and France’s gameplan is very much along those lines.

Since the breathless last-16 clash with Argentina, France have been absolutely rock-solid. They beat Belgium 1-0 in the semi-final, and would’ve beaten Uruguay by the same scoreline but for a goalkeeping howler.

Croatia’s three knockout games, meanwhile, have all ended 1-1 at 90 minutes. They’ve had to show resilience having conceded first in all three games and we certainly don’t see France running away with this one.

Under 2.5 goals has been rightly chalked up plenty short at 4/9, while 4/7 that at least one side fails to score also looks right. France to win to nil at 13/8 looks the best way to enhance the odds-on 90-minute win price. You have to go back to 1986 for the last World Cup final that was won with both teams scoring.